Hey You, Pikachu! (Japanese: ピカチュウげんきでちゅうPikachu is Fine-achu) is a spin-off game for Nintendo 64 developed by Ambrella. The Voice Recognition Unit, a specialised microphone for the Nintendo 64, is included with it. Using voice-recognition software, the game interprets a player's commands, letting one interact verbally with Pikachu.

The player is asked by Professor Oak to test out a new invention named the PokéHelper, which allows one to talk to any Pokémon present. The player goes to a fenced-in area of Viridian Forest, and first meet the Pikachu that will become the partner through the game. The entire game takes place in an area between Pewter City and Viridian City, according to the in-game maps.

There are three levels of difficulty, each of them accessible from a different location in the house, that offer 17 stages that can be replayed, and one stage that can be played once per saved file. The player's interactions with the world are limited to picking up items, using the Megaphone, once obtained, to knock fruits out of trees, giving items to Pikachu, and controlling Pikachu's general behavior via vocal commands.

The game is one of the two that utilizes the Nintendo 64's Voice Recognition Unit, and it understands about 200 words, including "ThunderShock", "Thunderbolt," and "Thunder".

Blurb

For the first time ever you can actually talk to your favorite Pokémon. Tag along with Pikachu as it goes through its daily routines, taking field trips, going fishing and having picnics, becoming better friends with each passing day. The more you speak, the closer friends you'll be!

Talk into the microphone, see Pikachu react. Your voice travels to Pikachu through the N64 Voice Recognition Unit and microphone-both included.

Pal around with Pikachu - together you'll gather cooking ingredients, fish for favorite water Pokémon, and even hunt for buried treasure on a deserted island.

Speak to Pikachu using a variety of key words and phrases. Friendship is based on communication, and there's plenty to talk about!

Characters

Human

Pokémon

Levels

Pikachu's Discovery Days

The beginner level, which is selectable from the sliding door in the player's bedroom. It is represented by a childlike scribble of the areas in the game, done with wax crayons, and the background music is a remix of the Pokémon Red and Blue title theme. It is the only area where the three fishing spots can be selected and played.

The locations available from this level are:

Viridian Forest

Ochre Woods

Ochre Fishing Spot

Springleaf Field

Cobalt Fishing Spot

Olivine Fishing Spot

Pikachu's Play Days

An intermediary level, which appears from the front gate of the player's house's front yard. It is represented by a relatively-detailed sketch of the areas in the game, done with coloring pencils, and the background music is a tropical remix of the Pokémon Red and Blue title theme as well.

Pikachu's Daring Days

Map for the Daring Days level

The most difficult level, which appears at the side gate of the player's house's front yard. It is represented by a highly-detailed map of the areas in the game, and the background music is a fanfare-like remix of the Pokémon Red and Blue title theme. Professor Oak's secret training can be selected by telling the name to Pikachu while on the map.

The locations available from this level are:

Viridian Forest

Ochre Woods

Springleaf Field

Cobalt Island

Olivine Lake

Professor Oak's Secret Training

Mission Types

A Pokémon Picnic

In these missions, which take place in Ochre Woods, the player and Pikachu have to gather ingredients for Bulbasaur's meal, and send them to Bulbasaur by calling Magnemite over. Bulbasaur asks for three ingredients, but one of the ingredients needs to be doubled, for a total of four ingredients to give to Magnemite in order for the mission to be completed. A TogepiPokémon Egg can also be found and hatched through repetitive visits to the two shops of the game. Abra's shop is placed in an area that can only be reached from the second Pokémon Picnic mission onward. The only rewards are seeing the reaction Pikachu and its friends have to the various meals Bulbasaur serves, failed or successful.

Caring For Caterpie

In these missions, which take place in Viridian Forest, the player and Pikachu must supervise from one to five Caterpie, depending on how many of them evolved into Metapod in prior Caring For Caterpie missions. The way to complete this mission type is to let Pikachu distract the Caterpie, and feed them bloomed roses when hungry. The Caterpie will evolve into Metapod once fed enough times, and the Metapod will turn into Butterfree once enough time has passed. At the end of the day, Butterfree comes back and rewards Pikachu with a ruby, a glass marble, a balloon or a colored jewel.

Field Trip

In these missions, which take place in Springleaf Field, the player and Pikachu need only enjoy themselves for a day. Pikachu can find, greet and water Oddish, Gloom and Vileplume here. Charmander is also sometimes seen in the first mission, and Diglett sometimes tries to trip Pikachu in the third mission. The second mission takes place in an area with one of Abra's shops. While watering Oddish and Gloom make them evolve, there is one unique Oddish that only grows larger over time, until it is at least ten times Pikachu's size, in the third Field Trip mission. Another odd phenomenon are the strange radish and smelly radish that Pikachu sometimes mistakes for Oddish and Gloom.

Gone Fishing!

In these missions, the player and Pikachu can go to three locations, and start fishing Pokémon out of the water. The Pokémon caught are of various sizes, and each fishing spot contains different Pokémon, including rare ones like Dratini. There are also other Pokémon milling about out of the water and watching Pikachu fish, also dependent on the locations chosen. Professor Oak sometimes comments on the pond once the player leaves at the end of the day, mentioning rare catches in the location. If Pikachu catches a large Pokémon, it will be rewarded with a fishing flag to take home with it.

Little Lost Poliwag

In these missions, which take place at Olivine Lake, the player and Pikachu have to gather up five lost Poliwag, and bring them back home, safe and sound. The first Little Lost Poliwag mission allows the player to meet with Squirtle, who will bring all the found Poliwag back home to their mother, and reward Pikachu with a silver coin, a glass marble, a balloon or a colored jewel. The second mission's location is home to the Poliwag's mother, Poliwhirl, and a mischievous Haunter who can be shocked away from scaring the Poliwag with an electric attack.

The Piñata Game

This mission, found at Cobalt Coast, only has one part to it, but can be replayed normally like the other missions. Pikachu is invited to a piñata party held by Venusaur, and all its friends want to help it smack the Poké Ball containing the rewards open. If Pikachu can successfully open the Poké Ball more than once, Venusaur rewards it with the harmonica, which calls Lapras over to ferry Pikachu and the player to Cobalt Island.

Treasure Hunt

In these missions, which take place on Cobalt Island, the player and Pikachu have to explore a small island full of buried treasure. Slowpoke sunbathes on a rock near the shore, and Lapras can sometimes be seen swimming around the island, watching the treasure hunt. The treasure chests that Pikachu can dig up can then be opened by reading the sign associated with them, and repeating the order to Pikachu. One of the prizes that can be obtained from a big treasure chest is the toy sword that decorates the protagonists' bedroom from then on.

Items

Ball

Cupcake

Fishing hook

Harmonica

Lucky hook

Megaphone

PokéHelper

Watering Can

Watering Pail

Flying Acorn

Trivia

The Japanese name of the game, ピカチュウげんきでちゅうPikachu Genki Dechū, is a pun on ピカチュウげんきです Pikachu is fine.

Although the game has not gained any direct sequels, Pokémon Channel seems to be a sequel, since it is a virtual pet simulation game in which the player shall raise a Pikachu. Pokémon Dash may also be an indirect sequel, as the Pikachu there is similar to that one in Channel: it even sometimes starts to laugh when being petted, among other things. It is unknown if the Pikachu and/or the player character are the same.

PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure and its sequel, PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond both seem to be other indirect sequels - although the gameplay is significantly different from the virtual pet aspects of Hey You, Pikachu! and Channel, the core of starring a Pikachu and being intended for younger fans of Pokémon is similar.

Hey You, Pikachu!, PokéPark Wii: Pikachu's Adventure and PokéPark 2: Wonders Beyond are so far the only Pokémon games that don't have the word 'Pokémon' in their English titles.

According to the in-game maps, there is water to the northeast of Viridian Forest, where Cobalt Coast and Cobalt Island are located.

The cluster of houses representing Pewter City are only visible in the drawing of Pikachu's Discovery Days.

After completing Professor Oak's Training, if players say "Professor Oak's Training" on the Daring Days map the game will select a normally unselectable area on the bottom left corner of the map and the Professor Oak's Training game will load up.

On the title screen the garden features plants that are not available in the game.

Several Pokémon books can be found in the bedroom with pictures of Pokémon on the cover.

The Pokémon Quiz minigame is an Nintendo 64 cartridge and strangely multiple copies of the game can be seen by the console. One of the copies is most likely the Shadow Pokémon Quiz minigame but the others are unknown.

Certain objects move when the player speaks such as a toy in the Bedroom.

Contrary to popular belief, saying "Sony" or "PlayStation" does not cause Pikachu to get angry. However, calling it an "electric rat" will.

Objects and items can be moved with the speech bubble from the megaphone item. Also, Pokémon will react to the megaphone, often running away from the noise.